Small slender article dispenser



United States Patent 72] Inventor Gurden R. Radtke FOREIGN PATENTS l N ggggfg -J p 64801 23,004 6/1907 Great Britain 221/186 [21] A o. [22] 523 6 1968 Pnmary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg [45] Patented Dec. 22,1970 AttorneyGustave Miller l 54] SMALL SLENDER ARTICLE DISPENSER A BSTRACT: Th1s dispenser consists of an open bottomed box slldable on cooperating tracks back and forth across a base, 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

larger than the open bottom, with at least one cooperating [52] US. Cl 221/116, groov m th base to receive and hold a slender article therein 221/186 when the box 1s moved to and fro thereover The box In Ill!- Cl. 59/00 h t rt t id d b a n l partltlon t [50] Field of Search 221/186, verse to the tragks and a second groove, of a d fferent sue to 187, 188, 189, l 16, 117, 202, 204, 257; 222/ 186 receive a different we slender article from the second compartment. A transverse finger-receiving slot in the base across [56] References cued the groove fac1l1tates picking up the slender article from the UNITED STATES PATENTS groove The slender articles may be bar or drmkmg straws, D. 197.579 2/1964 Vernon 22 1/1 86X to hpw p or p drill bits for use n h h m n m 2,493,334 1 1950 Block 221/187 commercial establishments.

SMALL SLENDER ARTICLE DISPENSER OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION sizes, for toothpicks, for stirrers, for pencils or pens, for drill bits, and for any other similar small slender articles such as used in restaurants or bars, in workshops, in the home, and elsewhere.

A further object of this invention is to provide a slender article dispenser which may be made in various sizes so as to be adapted for dispensing various different articles, which may be adjusted to dispense only a single article at a single to and from movement, or may be adjusted to dispense one or more articles at each end of each movement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a slender article dispenser which may be made of a rigid transparent material so that the articles to be dispensed will be visible at all times.

A further object of this invention is to provide a slender article dispenser which may dispense one size or type of slender article at one end of its movement, and may dispense a different size or type of article at the other end of its movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is a slender article dispenser, and consists of an open bottomed box slidable on a track over a base of larger area than the open box bottom, with abutments limiting the sliding movement at both ends on the base. The base is provided with one or more channels or' grooves adjacent one or both ends of the path of movement so that, as the open bottomed box is moved over a channel or groove, it deposits and leaves behind a slender article in the groove. Finger-receiving slots extending across the channel or groove facilitate picking up the slender article from the groove. The size of the groove is made adjustable by suitable fillersso that the groove will be of the right size to receive the particular slender article therein, and the fillers are secured by round headed stud screws projecting above the surface of the base and also riffle the slender articles in the open box bottom to insure that a slender article will drop into the groove, and the edges of the open box bottom are channeled to pass over the stud screw heads. The box, base and fillers are all preferably made of a high impact, rigid transparent plasticmaterial. Both box and base are rectangular in shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of one form of the slender article dispenser of this invention, illustrating its use with drinking straws;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cooperating tracks on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, illustrating the track means;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a similar sectional but fragmentary view, with a filler as in FIG. 6 modifying it for use with a much smaller drinking straw;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the groove filler used in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the groove filler used on the right-hand side of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION There is shown at 10 the slender article dispenser of this invention. Various sizes of bar or drinking straws are shown for purposes of illustration, but any suitable sized slender article such as toothpicks, stirrers, pencils, pens, drill bits, etc. may be dispensed by this invention, either in the home, or in commercial or industrial areas. I

The dispenser 10 consists of two principal parts, an open bottomed rectangular box 12 and rectangular but larger base 14, both made preferably of high impact rigid transparent preferably plastic material.

The open bottomed box 12 may be divided into two compartments 16 and 18 by the presence of partition 20 extending parallel to the front and back sides 22 and 24.

The open bottomed box 12 is slidably guided for manual movement over the base 14 by a suitable cooperating track means, here shown as being an outwardly extending flange bar 26 secured as by cement at the bottom of each of the opposite box sides 28 and extending under complementary track bars 30 extending inwardly from upwardly extending plates 32 cemented on the side ends of the base 14.

The box side track bars 26 fit loosely enough beneath the base track bars 30 and inwardly of the base end plate 32 that the box 12 may he slid easily to and fro over the base l4.

Track abutments 34 and 36 are provided at each end of each of the tracks 26, 28 and to keep the box 12 from sliding beyond either end of the base 14 while in use, but to facilitate refilling the box with the slender articles, such as bar or drinking straws, or other slender articles, one pair of abutments, as 34, may be pivotally attached by pivot studs 38 to the ends of track bars 30 and track plates 32 so that they will normally depend in abutting position, but will pivot away from such position when the dispenser 10 is turned upside down, permitting the box 12 to be separated from the base 14 for refilling. Of course, any other suitable access means to the box compartments 16 and 18 may be provided.

The base 14 consists of a central plate 40 to which the track plates 32 are cemented, and in turn, the track bars 30 are cemented to the track plates 32, and the fixed abutments 36 are cemented to the ends of bars 30 and track plates 32. Four supplementary base plates 42, in the same plane as central base plate 40 are cemented at one end, at each corner of the base plate 40, to the upstanding track plate 32, and are further secured and cemented thereto by suspended bridge plates 44. The dispenser 10 is supported on four vacuum cup feet 46, one at the bottom of each bridge plate 42, the feet 46 being provided by vacuum cups so that the dispenser base 14 will not readily move when placed on a smooth surface. Each bridge plate 44 is provided with one pair of slender article receiving channels 48 of a size to receive the slender article 50 being dispensed. A finger-receiving slot 52 is provided extending between the supplementary plates 42 and into the central base plate 40 and across the channels or grooves 48 to thus facilitate the ready removal of the slender articles from the grooves or channels 48.

When but a single groove or channel 48 is to be permanently provided, the supplementary plates 42 may be of a size to end close to the central plate 40 and thus provide space for but a sign single channel 48. If two or more channels 48 are desired, the supplementary plates 42 are spaced further from the central plate 40, as shown, and a divider filler 54 is provided so as to extend the adjacent sides of the channels 48 upwardly, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the divider filler 54 being temporarily secured by studs 56 having rounded heads 58 extending above the surface of the central plate 40 and supplemental plates 42. Suitably positioned channels 60 are provided in the bottom edges of the box front and backs 22 and 24 so that they may pass thereover, and thus the slender articles 50 are rifiled as the box passes thereover, causing the slender articles 50 to readily drop down into the channel 48, and may be picked up manually after the box 12 has been moved back therefrom.

When a different size slender article is to be dispensed, both the size of the article receiving channel may be changed, as well as the number of articles being dispensed at one time, by removing the divider filler 54 and replacing it with a different, appropriate filler, some of which are shown at 62 and 64, each provided with stud receiving apertures 66 for the studs 56. The divider filler 62, shown in FIG. 5, when in place, provides but a single small channel 68 for a small slender article 70, but obviously could provide for any suitably sized single slender article.

The filler 64 is provided with depending ledges 72 which may fill up the channels 48 as shown on the right in FIG. 4, to provide grooves 74 to receive another size of slender article 76.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION In operation, a suitably sized divider filler 54, 62 or 64, is held in position by the studs 56. The box is filled with the slender articles, all of one size if no partition 20 is present, or with two sizes or types, if the partition 20 is present providing the two compartments 16 and 18. Suitable divider fillers are provided, according to the number of articles desired at each operation and according to the type of article being dispensed. The number of articles dispensed at each operation may be controlled by the selection and replacement of the fillers to one or a plurality of two or more.

To dispense a slender article, the box is merely manually moved over the channels 48 or the channels or grooves provided by the filler used, and then back away from it, thus leaving a dispensed slender article in the channel or groove which may then be picked up by ones fingers through the slot 52. When emptied, the box 1 may be refilled by turning it upside down, so that the abutments 34 can pivot away from the track ends, permitting the box and base to temporarily separate until the box is refilled, then replaced while in upside down position, and then turned right side up for use. The vacuum cup feet 46 hold the dispenser in place and prevent sliding while being operated. As the box of slender articles passes over stud heads or pimples 58, the articles are riffled by the upward projecting heads or pimples 58, thus shaking the articles 50 or 70 somewhat, and so ensure that a slender article will drop into the available channel or groove, which is deep enough to completely receive the article, so that the box front or back sides may pass thereover.

In the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts, and for the purposes of explication, set forth below are the numbered parts of the improved Small Slender Article Dispenser:

l0 slender article dispenser;

12 open bottomed box;

14 base for dispenser 10;

16 front compartment;

18 rear or back compartment;

20 compartment partition;

22 front side of box 12; 24 back side of box 12;

26 track bars on box sides 28; 28 sides of box; 30 track bars on base upstanding plates 32; 32 upwardly extending plates on central plate of base 14;

34 pivoted abutment at end of track parts 30, 32;

36 fixed abutment at other end of track parts 30, 32;

' 38 stud bolt pivot for 34;

40 central plate of base 14;

42 four supplemental base plates;

44 four suspended bridge plates;

46 four vacuum cup feet;

. 48 slender article receiving channel in 14; 1 50 slender article being dispensed in FIG. 1; 52 finger-receiving slot;

v54 divider filler, FIGS. 1 and 4; 56 studs for 54; 58 round heads on 56, extending above base plate surface;

60 channels in front and backs 22 and 24 complementary to stud heads 56;

62 one channel divider filler, FIGS. 5 and 6;

64 intermediate two channel divider filler, and right side of FIG. 4;

66 stud apertures in 62 and 64;

68 single groove in 62;

70 small slender articles;

72 depending ledges on filler 64;

74 grooves in filler 64;

76 intermediate size slender articles.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied.

lclaim:

l. A dispenser for small, slender articles 50, 70 comprising a base 14 having two parallel edges, a parallelopiped box 12 having an open bottom, cooperating track means 26, 30, 32, FIG. 3 on two opposite parallel sides of said base and said box 12 bottom, the area of said base 14 being greater than the area of said box 12 bottom, means 34, 36 on both ends of said base obstructing the movement of said box 12 in said cooperating tracks therebeyond, and slender groove means (48) in said base normal to said tracks of a size to receive, slender articles 50, 70 in said box 12 to be dispensed therefrom by movement of said open bottomed box 12 to arid fro thereover, said groove means 48 being located in said base 14 adjacent both ends of the path of movement of said box 12, said groove means 48 atone end of said base 14 being of a different size than said groove'means 68 at the other end of said base, said box (12) having a vertical partition 20 extending normal to said track ends of said base dividing said box 12 into separate compartments 16, 18 fordifferent size slender articles 50, 70.

2. A dispenser for small, slender articles 50, 70 comprising a base 14 having two parallel edges, a parallelopiped box 12 having an open bottom, cooperating track means 26, 30, 32, FIG. 3 on two opposite parallel sides of said base and said box 12 bottom, the area of said base 14 being greater than the area of said box 12 bottom, means 34, 36 on both ends of said base obstructing the movement of said box 12 in said cooperating tracks therebeyond, and slender groove means 48 in said base normal to said tracks of a'size to receive slender articles 50, 70 in said box 12 to be dispensed therefrom by movement of said open bottomed box 12 to and fro thereover, said groove means comprising a substantially wide channel in said base, and a filler 62 detachably securable in said wide channel providing a narrow groove 68 of a size suitable to the slender article 70 to be received therein.

3. The dispenser of claim 2, and a plurality 54, 62, 64 of interchangeable fillers of different sizes to provide a desired groove width according to the size of a slender article to be dispensed.

4. The dispenser of claim 2, and securing means for securing said filler in said wide groove, said securing means comprising a stud screw having screwhead means 58 extending above the surface of said base, said head riffling the slender articles being dispensed to facilitate their entry into said groove means.

5. The dispenser of 1 claim 4, the lower edges of said box being channeled 60 to pass over said screwheads.

6. The dispenser of claim 4, said base having a finger-receiving slot 52 transversely of said groove means facilitating removal of the slender article from said groove means.

7. The dispenser of claim 4, said dispenser being made of rigid, transparent material providing visibility for the slender articles being stored for dispensing.

8. A dispenser for small, slender articles 50, 70 comprising a base 14 having two parallel edges, a parallelopiped box 12 having an open bottom, cooperating track means 26, 30, 32, FIG. 3 on two opposite parallel sides of said base and said box 12 bottom, the area of said base 14 being greater than the area of said box 12 bottom, means 34, 36 on both ends of said base obstructing the movement of said box 12 in said cooperating tracks therebeyond, and slender groove means 48 in said base normal to said tracks of a size to receive slender articles 50, 70 in said box 12 to be dispensed therefrom by movement of said open bottomed box 12 to and fro thereover, and means 38, 34, facilitating removal of said box from said base for refilling said box with slender articles comprising an abutment 34 pivotally depending along side of said base in the path of said box, said abutment being pivotal out of said path permitting removal of said box from said base.

9. A dispenser for small, slender articles 50, 70 comprising a base 14 having two parallel edges, a parallelopiped box 12 having an open bottom, cooperating track means 26, 30, 32, FIG. 3 on two opposite parallel sides of said base and said box 12 bottom, the area of said base 14 being greater than the area of said box 12 bottom, means 34, 36 on both ends of said base obstructing the movement of said box 12 in said cooperating tracks therebeyond, and slender groove means 48 in said base normal to said tracks of a size to receive slender articles 50, 70 in said box 12 to be dispensed therefrom by movement of said open bottomed box 12 to and fro thereover, and pimple means 58 on said base 14 adjacent said groove means 48 contacting and rifi'ling the slender articles 50 being dispensed to facilitate their entry into said grooved means 48, the box side adjacent said groove means being recessed at least complementary to said pimple means permitting said box to pass thereover.

10. A dispenser for small, slender articles 50, 70 comprising a base 14 having two parallel edges, a parallelepiped box 12 having an open bottom, cooperating track means 26, 30, 32, FIG. 3 on two opposite parallel sides of said base and said box 12 bottom, the area of said base 14 being greater than the area of said box 12 bottom, means 34, 36 on both ends of said base obstructing the movement of said box (12) in said cooperating tracks therebeyond, and slender groove means 48 in said base normal to said tracks of a size to receive slender articles 50, 70 in said box 12 to be dispensed therefrom by movement of said open bottomed box 12 to and fro thereover, said groove means 48 being located in said base 14 adjacent both ends of the path of movement of said box 12, and pimple means 58 on said base 14 adjacent both said groove means 48 riffling the slender articles 50 being dispensed to facilitate their entry into said groove means 48, the box 12 front and back sides being channeled 60 complementary to said pimple means 58 permitting said box 12 to pass thereover. 

